


The Kirk Curse

by IvanW



Series: The Professor-Cadet [24]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Curses, M/M, Romance, Starfleet Academy, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 06:33:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16258649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IvanW/pseuds/IvanW
Summary: When Spock wakes up he does not remember Jim.





	The Kirk Curse

Spock woke slowly. Much slower than he usually did, which immediately concerned him. He felt lethargic, exhausted. His mouth was dry, like he’d been choking on sandpaper. Most bizarre.

For a long time he stared at the ceiling in his bedroom. There was something different about his room, about his bed, that he hadn’t quite figured out yet. He had the most splitting headache of his life.

He hadn’t been prone to headaches for the most part, though he’d experienced a few. This one was different. It was at the back of his skull and felt very sore. Tentatively he reached a hand to the back of his head. A lump. Had someone hit him?

That could explain the confusion.

Something moved next to him and that was when Spock realized what was different about his bed. It had another occupant. He turned his head to see a Human male stirring beside him. There was something familiar about him and yet it was also out of reach.

Eyelids lifted to reveal the most intense, startling blue. And then as Spock watched, the Human male smiled, his mouth curving in a very infectious way. The eyes, the smile, they did something to his stomach, to his heart. To his very breath.

Had this Human been the one to incapacitate him?

“Morning,” the other occupant of his bed rasped. “At least…it is morning, right?”

“Yes,” Spock replied, though he wasn’t entirely certain of the time. Or the day. Or anything.

“You okay, babe?”

_Babe?_

It occurred to Spock based on the fact both of them wore clothing worn usually when one retires to bed that there must be some sort of intimacy between them. The male beside him wore pajamas. They had strange green frogs all over them. He himself wore his usual sleeping robe. He would not wear such attire with someone he did not trust.

“Spock?”

Spock frowned slightly. “What were the occurrences of the night before?”

“Last night?” The Human moistened his lips with his tongue. “Well. We did have a lot to drink.”

“I consumed alcohol?”

“Yeah. Chocolate martinis.” He laughed. “You had a lot. You kept asking for more.”

“I…see.” Spock did not see. At all. “Did I fall and strike my head?”

“Huh? What? You don’t look so good. You are a little pale.” He sat up. “You want some water?”

“Affirmative.”

“Okay.” The Human rose from the bed and Spock watched the way the pajama pants drooped down low to reveal two rather generous rounded cheeks. He disappeared from the bedroom.

Spock sat up himself, once more fingering the bump on his head. He concentrated very hard, despite the pain, and finally came up with the identity of the male in his bed.

James Kirk.

Cadet James Kirk. He’d had the cadet in a class last semester but Spock could not recall—

Cadet Kirk reappeared with a glass from Spock’s kitchen filled with water. Clearly the cadet had familiarity with Spock’s kitchen. He took the glass from Jim.

“I seem to be having some difficulty recalling recent events,” he said carefully after taking several sips of water.

“You have a hangover I’m guessing. I’m so sorry.”

“Are you responsible?” he asked sharply.

Cadet Kirk blinked at him and then sunk down on his knees next to the bed. “Well. I should have watched you closer. You told me you didn’t really feel the effects of alcohol but it looks like you were wrong. I should have stopped you having so much. It’s just we were celebrating and—”

“What were we celebrating?”   

“Wow. You really are out of it.”

“I seem to have a head injury. Are you responsible for that as well?”

“A-a what?”

“There is a significant bump on the back of my head.”

“Oh shit. Really?”

Cadet Kirk rose from kneeling and sat on the bed, immediately grabbing Spock forcefully and turning him to look at the back of his skull. Spock braced for his clumsy touch upon the bump but it never came. The cadet’s touch was surprisingly gentle.

“Spock! What happened?”

“I believe that is my question.” Spock paused. “This is an awkward query but one that must be made. What is our connection to each other?”

Cadet Kirk sucked in a breath. “ _What_?”

“The evidence suggests that we have a rather intimate relationship,” Spock said. “One that obviously affords you the comfort of spending the night in my apartment and in my bed.”

Cadet Kirk had returned to the floor in front of Spock and now he was openly staring at Spock with a rather horrified expression. “I don’t spend the night here, Spock.”

“Then I am puzzled.”

“No.” Out came the tongue to moisten his lips again. “I _live_ here.”

“For how long?”

“ _Jesus_. Let me think. You were with me the entire time last night except once when you went to the restroom.” Cadet Kirk winced. “Fuck. You were gone a long time. I didn’t really think about it. Did you fall? Were you accosted?”

“I do not know. Obviously. Then we are intimate, Cadet?”

“Jim. Oh. My. God. We have to get you to the hospital. Get your clothes on. Can you stand?”

Spock’s brows furrowed. “Yes of course. Cadet—”

“Spock. We have to get you checked out immediately. You’ve had a head injury. You don’t even know who I am.”

Cadet Kirk—Jim—went to the closet and pulled out black pants and a burgundy sweater which he tossed at Spock.

“Put those on.”

Spock rose and went into the bathroom. After taking care of necessities, Spock dressed in the clothes Jim had given him. When he came out, Jim, too, was dressed. He was pacing the bedroom.

“Come on, Spock. We’re going to the ER.”

Spock accompanied Jim from his apartment and out to a hover car parked in the back. Jim stayed quiet, appearing to be very grim. Spock wasn’t sure what to say himself. They clearly had a relationship yet Spock could not recall.

Once they reached the hospital, Spock was brought right into a room and examined by a doctor named Christine Chapel.

“Well, you definitely have quite the bump on your head, Mister Spock,” she said, as she shone a light in his eyes. "And a concussion." 

“Was I attacked?”

“I’m not sure. You could have slipped and hit your head.” She smiled. “Fortunately I’m pretty sure your amnesia is very temporary and you will likely recall yourself. I’m going to give you some medicines approved for the treatment of Vulcans. That should help your headache and we’ll take care of that bump too. We’d like to keep you here at least overnight, possibly longer if your memory doesn’t return right away.”

“Thank you, Doctor Chapel,” Jim said.

“I’ll be back shortly.”

Jim watched her leave and then turned sorrowful eyes on Spock. “Well. Um.”

Spock nodded. “At the moment your services do not seem to be required. You are free to return home, if you would like.”

“You don’t want me to stay with you?” Then he shook his head. “No. Of course you don’t. You don’t even know who I am.”

Spock hesitated. “It is not that…it is just I do not even know you. Perhaps you are even responsible for what happened. I have only your word that you are not.”

“I didn’t hit you, Spock. I never ever would.” He turned away. Looked out the window at what, Spock did not know.

“What were we celebrating?”

Jim looked back at Spock. “It seems stupid now.”

“I would still like to know.”

“One month of living together.” Jim made a face. “That was the colossalist of bad ideas.”

“Living together?”

“No,” Jim said in almost a whisper. “Going to that bar to celebrate. I’m going to go notify your mom and dad. They’re going to want to know you’re here.”

“Are you coming back?” Spock asked, because honestly he was not sure. He did not know what to think about anything.

Jim nodded. “Yeah, I’m coming back. I want to make sure you’ll be okay. You might not remember me Spock, but I remember you.”

****

“There you are!” Bones called out as he found Jim sitting in the hospital cafeteria, face in his hands.

Jim looked up. Smiled. He thought. Judging by Bones expression it was a grimace.

“How is he?”

“Fine. Everything’s fine. Except he doesn’t know yours truly.”

“Jim—”

“It’s the Curse.”

“Oh. Hell. Not that again.”

Jim punched Bones in the arm. “The Kirk Curse is real.”

“It is not.”

“My dad died because of the Kirk Curse. Mom married Frank because of the Kirk Curse. Sam left because of the Kirk Curse—”

“Sam left because he was a weasely coward who left his kid brother to suffer,” Bones snapped. “Your dad died in space, because that’s what happens sometimes. And your mom just has terrible taste in men.”

“Tarsus.”

“There were others besides you on Tarsus.”

“All my relationships are doomed. Mom’s too. Probably Sam’s if I knew him.”

“They aren’t doomed. Spock is going to remember you.”

“Sure,” he said miserably. “He’s had his tongue in my—”

“ _Jim_.”

He rolled his eyes. “ _Mouth_. Damn it, Bones, it was going so well. A whole month of living together.”

“Well, that says something doesn’t it? He asked you to live with him.”

“Actually, I asked him.” Jim shook his head. “Anyway his parents are coming. They took the first shuttle out of Vulcan. I haven’t even met them yet and now it’s over.”

“You are such a drama queen. It is not over. Spock is going to be fine. I talked to Christine and this amnesia is temporary.”

“She thinks. There’s no way to know for sure.” Jim’s communicator beeped. He looked. “Damn, his folks are here. I have to go.” He scrambled up and ran out of the cafeteria.

The first thing he thought as he saw the regal looking couple coming down the hallway toward Spock’s room was that he looked like hell and they were going to tell Spock that it was good he’d forgotten all about that nasty Human, Jim Kirk. He hadn’t even bathed in like a day and a half.

Spock’s mother, who introduced herself as Amanda, greeted him very warmly, grasping his hands in hers. She wore Vulcan robes similar to her husband and a very pretty flowered scarf over her hair.

“You must be beside yourself,” she said. “You poor dear.”

“Well. Yeah. I mean, well, Spock’s room is this way.”

Amanda looked to her husband. “You go, Sarek. I’ll be just a moment. I want to talk to Jim for a bit.”

“No, you don’t have to—”

“It’s all right. We were told he was sleeping anyway.” She tugged him over to the waiting area. “Would you care for some tea, Jim? Or perhaps some coffee?”

“No. Nothing. Thanks.” He went to stand up. “But I can get you—”

“No.” She firmly pushed him back to sitting. “I do wish we’d met in better circumstances. But it’s wonderful to meet you. Spock has been telling us all about you.”

“Yeah?”

“Oh he’s very taken with you.” She smiled.

“Or was.”

“Oh, Jim, this is temporary, I assure you. Spock cares very much for you. After all he never even considered inviting someone to live with him before.”

Jim nodded and made a face. “But he didn’t.”

“Didn’t what?”

“Invite me. See. Uh. We were at his apartment after we…spent time together.” He blushed.

“Tsk. I am not naïve, Jim. Pray go on.”

“It had been a few days since we’d been able to… spend time together and I mentioned that I missed him. He asked me to stay over and I said I would rather never leave.”

“And?”

“He said then don’t leave. And well, I moved in.”

“Sounds like an invitation to me,” she said with a gentle smile.

He bit his lip. “But see there’s this Curse.”

“A curse? Like what sailors say?”

Jim couldn’t help it. He laughed then. “No. An actual curse. Like, er, I don’t know, a witch’s curse. That kind of thing.”

“A witch’s curse? What? Jim, you aren’t making sense. Did you both get knocked on the head?” She stood up then. “You rest for a bit, Jim. You don’t look like you are feeling all right. I’m going in to check on Spock and Sarek.”

He nodded wearily.

While she was gone, he thought he would get some coffee out of the machine down the hall, but it tasted like mud so he ended up throwing it away.

“You should probably go home and get some rest.”

Jim opened his eyes to look at Bones. He’d been leaning against a corridor wall. “Where? Back to Spock’s apartment?”

“It’s yours, Jim. You live there.”

“I’m not so sure. And anyway, the thought of being there alone without him…” He shook his head.

“You’ve got it so bad.”

“Yeah.” He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. He felt like bashing it over and over to be honest. “What if the Curse is real, Bones?”

“It’s not, Jim. There’s no Kirk Curse.” Bones took his arm and led him down the hallway. “At least try to nap on the couch in the waiting room.”

“Okay.”

****

“Jim!”

He was floating. He was in the clouds. Reaching. Stretching. Trying to—

“Jim! Jim! Jim!”

He sat up with a gasp. Rubbed his eyes. He was laying on a plastic pleather waiting room couch. Then he saw Spock, he saw his Vulcan, wearing a hospital gown, wandering down the hallway, yelling for him.

Jim got up and hurried forward. “Spock? Spock?”

Spock turned about halfway down the corridor. His eyes widened when he saw Jim. He began to rush at Jim. “Jim!”

They met each other halfway, sort of falling into each other’s arms.

“Spock, it’s okay. What are you doing? You should be in the bed.”

“I dreamed you were not real,” Spock said, squeezing him very tight.

“What?” Jim laughed breathlessly.

“It is not humorous.” Spock pulled back, staring into Jim’s face.  “I dreamed you were not real. I imagined you.”

“I’m right here, babe. I’m here. I’m real.” Jim felt tears sting his eyes. “You remember me?”

Spock kissed his wet eyes. “Of course I do. How could I ever forget you?”

Jim laughed-cried and hugged Spock tighter. “I’m real. I’m here. And you remember me.”

“Spock!”

Jim and Spock turned as one when they heard the cry of Amanda who was hurrying toward them with Sarek in tow.

“We went to get tea and…Spock, what are you doing out of bed?”

“I had to find Jim,” he said simply.

Amanda smiled. “Yes, you did have to find him. But you have now and we really should get you back to the hospital bed.”

Spock would not let go of Jim so they sort of walked as one back to the room.

“Thankfully, your father melded with you,” Amanda said, as she tucked Spock back into the bed.

“He did?” Jim asked.

“Yes. Obviously it helped.”

“Thank you, sir,” Jim whispered, very much overcome with emotion.

“I do not need thanks to assist my son and his mate.”

Jim’s eyes widened and he noticed Spock was blushing. “Uh. Yeah.” Jim rubbed the back of his neck with the hand Spock was not clutching to him.

Amanda cleared her throat. “Perhaps we should go and get everyone something to eat."

“I am not hungry,” Sarek said.

“Sarek,” her voice was a warning.

He nodded. “Yes. We will return with…food.”

Amanda kissed Spock’s forehead and then Jim’s and Spock’s parents once more departed.

“Spock, babe, what happened to your head?”

Spock scrunched up his face. “I believe I slipped on water in the bathroom and hit my head on the sink.”

“Fuck! Why didn’t you tell me? I mean I knew you were out of it but I thought it was the chocolate martinis.”

“That was certainly part of it.”

“No more of those for you.”

Spock seized Jim’s other hand so that now he clutched both as though he never intended to let them go.

And that was definitely all right with Jim.

“Maybe there really is no such thing as the Kirk Curse.”

“What?”

Jim shook his head. He leaned down and kissed Spock. “Never mind, babe. Never mind.” 

**Author's Note:**

> This almost turned into a long fic instead of a one-shot but I reigned myself in and refused to let it happen.


End file.
